The public notice provides guidance on how a customer can protest the increase during the 20-day public comment period. (see attached) Additionally, customers can comment, protest, and ask questions at the public meeting. The agenda will consist of introductions, a brief outline of the general rate case process by the PUC, Big Basin explaining their proposed rate increase, and then open up to public comment. Customers can protest the proposed rate increase for any reason, though it would help citing specifics parts of the rate increase or request to help substantiate the protest.
There will be no vote as nothing has been determined by the PUC yet, as the rate case is currently under review. While Big Basin has requested the proposed rate increase, the PUC may grant all, none, or some fraction of the rate increase. For general rate cases, PUC staff will draft a resolution with their recommendations which, after another public comment period, will be voted on by the Commissioners to be approved or rejected.
I don't believe someone from the Water Board will be at the meeting. As the public meeting only pertains to Big Basin's proposed rate increase, I will be deferring any receivership questions to the Water Board and for outside of this meeting.
Lastly, I reached out to the fire station to see if they had the equipment to set up video conferencing, but they indicated they didn't. I would encourage any customers that are unable to attend to mail in their protests as indicated in the public notice. We are considering additional alternatives such as holding another virtual meeting, but would need to discuss that with my management.
I'm reading about the Notice that was mailed, maybe in December,and Jennifer who received one on 3/21 - to date - we have not received any notice via mail or email.
The advice letter 83-w is included in this post above. We will be asking the CPUC rep at the meeting for an exact deadline for any protests or responses.
Good point Mark - I'd like to see that Advice Letter too. Also you clarified for me that Dec. 20 is the date of that Advice Letter, not the "date of the notice" from the CPUC. Apparently that is the "Date Mailed" at the very bottom, and on the notice I received it is March 18. That means we should still have until April 7 to submit written protests. I intend to do that too in addition to attending the meeting.
Has anyone in this group obtained a copy of the BBWC Advice Letter No. 83-W? If so, would you please share
Jennifer I emailed our contact at the CPUC a couple of days ago for more information on how the meeting works. Hopefully this helps clarify how the process works. This was his reply “Big Basin provided an updated public notice to me on Monday which should have been mailed out yesterday. I've included the revised notice with the new venue location if you'd like to distribute that to the other customers. The public notice provides guidance on how a customer can protest the increase during the 20-day public comment period. Additionally, customers can comment, protest, and ask questions at the public meeting. The agenda will consist of introductions, a brief outline of the general rate case process by the PUC, Big Basin explaining their proposed rate increase, and then open up to public comment. Customers can protest the proposed rate increase for any reason, though it would help citing specifics parts of the rate increase or request to help substantiate the protest. There will be no vote as nothing has been determined by the PUC yet, as the rate case is currently under review. While Big Basin has requested the proposed rate increase, the PUC may grant all, none, or some fraction of the rate increase. For general rate cases, PUC staff will draft a resolution with their recommendations which, after another public comment period, will be voted on by the Commissioners to be approved or rejected.”
Thanks so much for posting this - I'm concerned that the "date" of this notice is December 20 - and it says we only have 20 days to provide a written protest. Have we been advised in writing of any "extension" to this period and/or were we officially advised that this meeting is specifically being held to provide a chance for formal protests? If not, I believe we should mention at the meeting that the notice was insufficient and needs to be redone (and the clock reset for the 20 days). I only received the notice in the mail on March 21.